A couple's fight leads to SWAT standoff and man's arrest

An hours-long standoff in West Jordan began after a fight between a couple in Kearns and ended with a man’s arrest. (Shutterstock)

WEST JORDAN — An hours-long standoff in West Jordan began after a fight between a couple in Kearns and ended with a man’s arrest.

Police say Thomas Jason Pearson, 37, got into a fight with his girlfriend at their home in Kearns in the early hours of the morning.

“During that argument, it turned physical. After the physical altercation, Pearson got a handgun, threatened to harm himself and also pointed the gun at his girlfriend,” said Lt. Justin Hoyal of the Unified Police Department.

Pearson ran to the couple’s other home near 4700 West and 7000 South in West Jordan, where he barricaded himself.

“Our SWAT team was called out because he was armed and because he had pointed a gun at his girlfriend,” Hoyal said.

Neighbors were evacuated just before 2 a.m., and the SWAT team set up a containment on the house. Police said several attempts to talk to Pearson were unsuccessful, and he wouldn’t respond or come out. After several hours, the SWAT team used gas and got the man to come out of the home.

Pearson’s girlfriend was treated for minor injuries from the fight, and Pearson was booked into jail for aggravated domestic assault, according to Unified police.